2015 Hampshire Thread

[st_brendy]

Gloucs-Kent this afternoon. A Kent win not only secures themselves a QF spot, but a home QF spot at that (Kent would move too far clear of Essex, whilst the fact that us and Sussex still have to play each other would mean that both of us would not be able to catch Kent - only the winner of that match potentially could).

To some extent, we can't really lose. A Gloucs defeat keeps them two points below, with us having a game in hand on them too, and puts massive pressure on them going into our match against them on Tuesday. A Kent defeat keeps them just about within our realistic reach - a win for us over Gloucs would allow us to close the gap on Kent to just two points, with both of us having two games left. I think a Gloucs defeat is better for us than a Kent defeat, but yes either result is handy for us.

[st_brendy]

Turns out it's not just us who juggle with Dawson's place in the batting order.

He came in at no. 3 for Essex last week in D2 (making 17 and then 40*). But today Essex are three down at lunch, and there's no sign of him yet.

[SaintPowelly]

Turns out it's not just us who juggle with Dawson's place in the batting order.

He came in at no. 3 for Essex last week in D2 (making 17 and then 40*). But today Essex are three down at lunch, and there's no sign of him yet.

4 down and RTD is in, batting at 7 then, maybe 8 depending on Foster

[st_brendy]

Marshall has retired hurt for Gloucs. Useful if that puts him out of Tuesday.

[SaintPowelly]

I'm guessing Daws has been picked primarily as a spinner.

[st_brendy]

Dawson comes in at no.7

[st_brendy]

Dawson comes in at no.7

And he's out LBW for 13 off 41.

[st_brendy]

Finally Alex Blake scores runs against someone who isn't us.

Having stolen two points from us, he now steals two points off of Gloucs. 59* off 24, to win with 2 balls remaining.

[st_brendy]

Looks like there's a strong chance of a rain interrupted game tomorrow. Risk that it might even be a total washout. On the balance of things, one point probably wouldn't be an awful outcome for us.

[st_brendy]

50 for Dawson. But as an opener - three innings for Essex, three different positions. So much for him finding a role in the order.

[budgetmeansbudget]

We're looking crap after 9 overs with Shah and Best batter both on nought not out.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Woeful defeat.

[st_brendy]

We probably need to win two out of two now. Although if Glamorgan lose to Kent, but then beat Gloucs, one win may actually be enough for us to scrape through on NRR ahead of Glamorgan - it would also though depend on how many points Surrey and Somerset manage to pick up. Ourselves, Gloucs and Glamorgan can't keep on playing this game of "you first, come on through" without risking someone from below us all overtaking us all.

[st_brendy]

It'll be interesting if Jimmy comes out of his mini-hiatus for Friday night. After the Worcs shambles, it was decided that Jimmy should be taken out of the firing line whilst being given the freedom to concentrate just on the upcoming Durham four day match. But no way can we have Gatting and Terry in the same t20 team. With Ervine injured, we are playing with just four batsmen. And when they get out early, as they did today, that is that for our innings. A better no. 5 and no.6, and we could have made 135 - which given the wicket, would probably have been a match-winning score.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Still hanging on to scraps Brendy, this current team just isn't good enough to qualify, so if we do it will be by luck and other teams letting us through. Then we'll get hammered in the quarters.

Whilst Gatting continues to scores runs when every one else doesn't it merely shows how bad we are, because if he can anyone bloody well can. Bunch of useless deadbeats right now with a seemingly useless coach.